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Carpal tunnel syndrome, long associated with overuse of the hands and wrists
when surfing the Internet or typing, is linked more to genetics than repetitive
use, according to the study.

It was presented today at the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of
Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Diego.

"The link between carpal tunnel syndrome and hand use is overstated and may
be inaccurate," says study researcher David Ring, MD. Ring is an assistant
professor of orthopaedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and a hand surgeon
at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

"The scientific support for the concept [that carpal tunnel is caused by
overuse] is, on average, relatively weak," he says. "The major risk factor for
carpal tunnel is genetic."

Exactly what those genetic factors are is not known, he says, but they may
be related to the structure of the hand and wrists

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

In carpal tunnel syndrome, the median nerve, running from the arm into the
hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.

This nerve controls sensations to the thumb's palm side and part of all the
fingers except the little finger.

When the median nerve is squeezed, there can be tingling, pain, weakness, or
numbness in the wrist and hand that radiates up the arm.

Treatment options include rest, immobilization of the wrist, and surgery to
reduce pressure on the nerve.

"A common perception is that carpal tunnel is related to hand use," Ring
says.

That perception is more common among consumers, he says, but some doctors
also believe it.

Studies on whether carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with hand use have
been mixed.